Antiseptic attachment for telephone-mouthpieces.



I No. 708,67I. v Patented Sept. 9,1902.

H. 0. SMITH & m. H. WOOLSEY. ANTISEPTIC ATTACHMENT FOB TELEPHONE MOUTHPIECES.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 1902.

,(Nu Model.)

n4: u'oams PETERS cu. wore-urns" WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STAT S I PATENT QFFICE.

HENRY C. SMITH AND MARK H. WOOLSEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ANTISEPTIC ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONE-MOUTHPIECES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,671, dated September 9, 1902.

Application filed February 24, 1902. $erial No. 95,445. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY 0. SMITH and MARK H. WooLsEY, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Antiseptic Attachments for Telephone-Mouthpieces; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to a device for preserving the mouthpieces or like parts of telephones through which speaking is conducted in a cleanly antiseptic condition.

It consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts, which we will hereinafter describe and claim.

Figure 1 is a sectional View of the attachment and connections. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the cap. Fig. 3 is a similar "iew of its support.

As shown in the drawings, A is the ordinary funnel shaped mouthpiece through which speaking is conducted. This mouthpiece is commonly screwed into the front of the box and in line with the diaphragm interior thereto. In mixed use this mouthpiece often becomes charged with filthy and in many cases contagious accumulations from the breath of the great numbers of people who use the telephone.

It is the object of our invention to minimize the danger from promiscuous use of telephones, -to destroy any disease germs which may be lodged within the mouthpiece from such uses, and to protect the mouthpiece and connected parts from the ingress of dust or foreign matter. In order to do this, we have shown a cap 2, adapted to close over the hell or other shaped mouth of the part A. This cap carries Within it any suitable absorbent material 3, which is properly saturated with a sterilizing or. antiseptic substance, so that when the cap is closed over the mouthpiece this material forms contact around the periphery, and thus cleanses and sterilizes the mouthpiece, besides forming a closure to pre-' vent the access of dust. It also servesby closing to prevent the rapid evaporation and loss of the sterilizing substance and to maintain the vapor or fumes, if any such arise, Within the instrument, where it will be of the most service.

In order to conveniently attach the device,

we have here shown it as hinged at 4 to a bar the front of a box or the receiving part. When the mouthpiece has thus been screwed down closely, the annular shoulder around the screw-thread will press upon the plate 5 and hold it firml yin place. From this plate an arm 8 extends outward, terminating at a point adjacent to the periphery of the mouthpieceAin one member of the hinge 4, before mentioned, the other member being formed upon the cap 2. From the opposite side of the plate 5 an elastic arm '9 extends outward and may have the end turned over, as at 10, or otherwise suitably formed to engage the edge of the cap 2 and hold it in closed position. This edge may be beveled or otherwise formed to engage with the clastic holder, while at the same time it is easily released by light pressure when it is desired to open the device'for use. In this manner the interior of the apparatus is cleansed and sterilized after each use, and the vapor of the sterilizing substance'which is contained in the fibrous material 3 will serve to purify the whole interior of the device.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. The combination with a telephonemouthpiece of a cap containing an interior filling of porous or absorbent material saturated with a sterilizing substance, and divergent spring-arms embracing the mouthpiece one of said arms forming ahinge member for one edge of the cap and the other member having a latch to engage the opposite edge of said cap.

2. The combination with a telephonemouthpiece of a cap fitting over the outer end of the mouthpiece having the interior lined with an absorbent saturated material, a plate having a central hole through which the screwthreaded end of the mouthpiece passes so that the shoulder of the mouthpiece will lock the platein position ,divergent arms extending outwardly upon each side of the mouthpiece, one of said arms carrying a hinged member to which the cap is connected, and the other being elastic and provided at its free end with a latching device whereby the cap is retained in position between the free ends of the arms in closed position upon the mouthpiece.

3. The combination with a telephonemouthpiece of a perforated plate through which the screw-threaded end of the mouthpiece passes and by which it is secured to the case, divergent arms extending outwardly upon each side of the mouthpiece, one of said arms carrying a hinged member and the other beingelastic and having,atits freeend,a1atch- 

